UK’s Metropolitan Police Commissioner visits Europol

26 March 2012

Policing across borders was the theme of today’s visit to Europol made by Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in London. Accompanied by Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, Mr Hogan-Howe met with Rob Wainwright, the Director of Europol, and his senior staff, to discuss ways in which the challenge of policing London’s increasingly global community could be better supported by Europol.

Following a tour of Europol’s state-of-the-art new headquarters, including Europol’s operational control centre, which is responsible for coordinating the exchange of criminal intelligence with international law enforcement partners, discussions focused on Europol’s capabilities to combat cybercrime, terrorism, organised crime and money laundering. Among specific measures considered by Mr Hogan-Howe and Mr Wainwright were joint measures relating to the tracking of illegal firearms across Europe, the targeting of London-based gangs originating in the Western Balkans, and the exchange of information on London’s top criminals. Senior experts from both sides will develop these initiatives further in coming months.